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George Koovakad

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Mar

George Jacob Koovakad
Cardinal
Koovakad distributing Communion
Koovakad in October 2024l
ChurchSyro-Malabar Church
Appointed25 October 2024
Other post(s)Official of the Secretariat of State of the Holy See (2006–)
Cardinal-Deacon of Sant'Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia (2024–)
Previous post(s)Titular Archbishop of Nisibis of the Chaldeans (2024)
Orders
Ordination24 July 2004
by Joseph Powathil
Consecration24 November 2024
by Raphael Thattil
Created cardinal7 December 2024
by Pope Francis
RankCardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Born (1973-08-11) 11 August 1973 (age 51)
Chethipuzha, India
NationalityIndian
Alma materSB College Changanasserry
Motto
  • Fragantiam Christi caritatis effundere
  • (To pour out the fragrance of Christ's charity)
Coat of armsGeorge Jacob Koovakad's coat of arms
Ordination history
History
Priestly ordination
Ordained byJoseph Powathil
Date24 July 2004
Episcopal consecration
Consecrated byRaphael Thattil
Date24 November 2024[1]

George Jacob Koovakad (born 11 August 1973) is an Indian cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church who since 2020 has worked in the offices of the Holy See's Secretariat of State where he has been responsible for organizing Pope Francis' overseas trips. From 2006 to 2020, he fulfilled assignments in several countries while working in the diplomatic service of the Holy See.

Pope Francis made Koovakad a cardinal on 7 December 2024. He appointed Koovakad a titular archbishop on 25 October 2024, and he was consecrated on 24 November.

Biography

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George Koovakad was born in Chethipuzha, an urban district in the municipality of Changanacherry, Kerala, on 11 August 1973.[2][3]

He earned his intermediate and bachelor's degrees in chemistry from SB College, Changanassery in 1994 where he was also the president of Catholic Students Movement in the college.[citation needed] He obtained a licentiate in 2004,[4] studying at St Thomas Minor Seminary, Kurichy, and St Joseph Pontifical Seminary, Aluva.[5] He was ordained a priest of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry on 24 July 2004 by Archbishop Joseph Powathil.[3] He served for a term as assistant vicar of St Mary's Church, Parel, Changanacherry.[5]

Moving to Rome, he obtained a doctorate in canon law in 2006 from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross with a thesis on "The Obligation of Poverty for Secular Clerics in the Codes of Canon Law".[4]

After completing the preparatory program at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, he joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See in 2006. He worked in the nunciature in Algeria and then served as secretary of the nunciaturea in South Korea from 2009 to 2012 and in Iran from 2012 to 2014 and as counsellor of the nunciatures in Costa Rica from 2014 to 2018 and in Venezuela from 2018 to 2020.[2][6] On 1 October 2014 he was given the title Chaplain of His Holiness,[7] and on 13 December 2019 that of Prelate of Honor of His Holiness.[8]

In July 2020 he joined the staff of the Secretariat of State[a] and since 2021 has organized several papal trips, including visits to Canada, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan, as well as a lengthy trip to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Singapore.[6]

In 2024 he visited India to lead Holy Week services at his family's home parish, Lourde Matha Parish at Mammoodu in Changanacherry.[5]

On 6 October 2024, Pope Francis announced he intends to make Koovakad a cardinal on 8 December,[10] a date that was later changed to 7 December.[11] According to church sources, he will remain in a post at the Holy See. Fr. Antony Vadakkekara, spokesman for the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, said, "It is a great honor for the Syro-Malabar Church as one of its sons is elevated as cardinal directly, which is first in India." Before Koovakad's elevation to cardinal, only the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church has been made cardinal.[12]

Pope Francis appointed Koovakad titular archbishop of Nisibis of the Chaldeans on 25 October 2024.[13] Koovakad received his episcopal consecration on 24 November 2024 in Changanassery Cathedral from Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil.[14]

On 7 December 2024, Pope Francis made him a cardinal, assigning him as a member of the order of cardinal deacons the deaconry of Sant'Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia.[15]

In place of the red biretta given to the new cardinals of the Latin rite, Francis placed a black and red shash on Koovakad's head. The shash is commonly used by other churches of East Syriac tradition, such as the Chaldean Catholic Church.[16]

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  • Koovakad during his episcopal ordination
    Koovakad during his episcopal ordination
  • Koovakad before the consistory at Vatican alongside Cardinal George Alencherry
    Koovakad before the consistory at Vatican alongside Cardinal George Alencherry
  • Koovakad with the choir at his episcopal consecration
    Koovakad with the choir at his episcopal consecration
  • Koovakad with Francis
    Koovakad with Francis

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ He was working on papal trips when Pope Francis bade farewell to his predecessor and announced his role as "director" of travels while flying to Budapest on 21 September 2021.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Episcopal ordination of George Jacob Koovakad held". The Hindu. 25 November 2024. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Kerala priest Monsignor George Koovakad elevated to Cardinal, oversees Pope Francis' global travels". Indian Express. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b "CBCI congratulates Monsignor George Jacob Koovakad on his appointment as Cardinal". Asian News International. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Alumnus George Koovakad (PhD in Canon Law, 2006) is among the new Cardinals announced by Pope Francis". Pontifical University of the Holy Cross. 7 October 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Kavi, Jose (6 October 2024). "Indian Priest Among 21 New Cardinal-Elects". Matters India. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b Tornielli, Andrea (7 October 2024). "Cardinal-elect Koovakad is first serving organizer of papal visits to be created Cardinal". Vatican News. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  7. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis, v. CVII (2015), p. 231
  8. ^ Acta Apostolicae Sedis, v. CXII (2020), p. 114
  9. ^ "Viaggio Apostolico di Sua Santità Francesco a Budapest..." (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Annuncio di Concistoro l'8 dicembre per la creazione di nuovi Cardinali, 06.10.2024" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 6 October 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  11. ^ Brockhaus, Hannah (12 October 2024). "Vatican Shares Pope Francis' Schedule for December Consistory to Create Cardinals". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  12. ^ "New cardinal boosts global recognition of Indian Eastern-rite church". Herald Malaysia Online. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Resignations and Appointments, 25.10.2024" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Episcopal ordination of George Jacob Koovakad held". The Hindu. 24 November 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  15. ^ "Concistoro Ordinario Pubblico: Assegnazione dei Titoli e delle Diaconie ai nuovi Cardinali, 07.12.2024" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
  16. ^ Philippi, Dieter. "Shash - Headgear of the Chaldean Catholic Clergy". Philippi Collection. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
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